ZAA - Membership Information

Zoological Association of America

An Organization of
Zoos and Zooculturists

Conservation
Propagation
Preservation

Membership Information

Associate   An associate member is interested in conservation, preservation, and propagation of animals in the private and public domains. It also includes those persons who wish, eventually, to progress to the Professional category. There are no special qualifications for membership in this category, except that the applicant must be approved by the Membership Committee. Associate members may not vote or hold office. Annual dues $40.00. Click here for application

Professional/Zooculturist (Sponsorship required) This is the ultimate category for individual membership in ZAA. Members are elected to this status from the Associate Category by the ZAA board.   Professional/Zooculturist members may vote and hold office. Annual dues $60.00. Click here for application

How can newcomers in the field become Professional/Zooculturist members? By making themselves and their accomplishments known to existing professional members. Ways to do this include attending ZAA meetings, writing articles for ZAA and other publications, and making themselves known to ZAA Professional/ Zooculturists members whenever the opportunity is available.

Doesn't all this take a long time? It certainly does. There are no "instant" Professional/Zooculturist. Those who have attained membership in this category have spent many years perfecting their expertise. They have earned this title. They did not purchase it by merely paying their dues to this organization or just because they have a certain job title.

The procedure for becoming a Professional/Zooculterist member is, according to the bylaws and policies of ZAA:

a) Submit an application for membership.
b) Include in the application a letter of sponsorship from a Professional member.
c) Provide a written or oral resume.
d) Receive a pro majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Public Facility   (Sponsorship required) Must hold an animal collection and be owned or operated by a municipality or governing board. Annual dues $350.00. Click here for application

The procedure for becoming a Public Facility member is, according to the bylaws and policies of ZAA:

a) Submit an application for membership.
b) Include in the application a letter of sponsorship from a Professional member.
c) Receive a pro majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Private Facility (Sponsorship required) Must hold an animal collection and must be owned by a private entity. Annual dues $250.00. Click here for application

The procedure for becoming a Private Facility member is, according to the bylaws and policies of ZAA:

a) Submit an application for membership.
b) Include in the application a letter of sponsorship from a Professional member.
c) Receive a pro majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Educational Facility (Sponsorship required) An Educational facility is one that is not open to the public and does not breed animals. It supplies animals with personnel for off-site educational programs such as schools, service organizations and the like. It also supplies animals to television programs such as those seen on the Letterman or Leno shows and production companies that produce animal shows for television or movies. There may be occasional on-site events for fundraising purposes or such, but they would not have the general public inside on a regular basis. Annual dues $150. Click here for application

The procedure for becoming a Educational Facility member is, according to the bylaws and policies of ZAA:

a) Submit an application for membership.
b) Include in the application a letter of sponsorship from a Professional member.
c) Receive a pro majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Commercial    May hold or own animals but the primary function of their business will be to offer animals, supplies, services, equipment or products to organization members. Commercial members receive free of charge a 3 ¾” by 1 ½” add in each issue of the newsletter. Commercial members may not vote or hold office. Annual dues $500.00. Click here for application

The procedure for becoming a Commercial member is, according to the bylaws and policies of ZAA:

a) Submit an application for membership.
b) Receive a pro majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Affiliate Organization   The affiliate organization and ZAA may reprint articles from each other's newsletters, ZAA will put a notice of the affiliate's convention in the ZAA newsletter, the Presidents of ZAA and the affiliate will exchange newsletters, and the affiliate and ZAA will exchange ad space in their newsletters, if appropriate. This alliance is at no cost to ZAA or the affiliate organization. If your organization is interested in becoming an affiliate organization or you would like more information, please contact Mike Jones.